Glasses or contact lenses: what does your health insurance fund reimburse?
In Belgium, all health insurance funds (mutualities) reimburse part of the cost of glasses, corrective lenses, contact lenses, frames and sometimes also eye patches. The amounts and conditions differ significantly depending on the health insurance fund. We have listed everything for you.
Reimbursement for children
Most health insurance funds offer a nice reimbursement for children and young people up to 18 years old. You often receive up to €50 per year for a glasses frame, lenses, contact lenses or a combination. This is the case with CM (Christelijke Mutaliteit), Helan, and LM. Solidaris Brabant goes higher with a contribution of €60, but this is only possible every 3 years. Solidaris Wallonie offer a reimbursement of €75 per year while Solidaris Vlaanderen limits this to 25 euro per year. Both Solidaris Vlaanderen and Wallonie offer a discount on lenses or frames at selected opticians.
For a complete overview of the glasses benefits for young people, you can use our health insurance fund benefits comparator.
Glasses and contact lenses for adults
For adults, the differences between the mutualities are greater. CM – the Christian Health Insurance Fund (Mutualité Chrétienne) – grants a total of up to €40 advantage per year for both glasses and contact lenses combined. Solidaris Vlaanderen offers up to €25 per year. Solidaris Brabant offers 60 euro and Solidaris Wallonie up to €100 both per 3 years. At Partenamut it is maximum €75 per 2 years. NZVL and LM reimburse up to €50 per year and Helan €30 per year.
Intervention by the compulsory health insurance (RIZIV/INAMI)
In addition to the supplementary benefits from your health insurance fund, the compulsory insurance (RIZIV or INAMI) also contributes to the reimbursement of glasses in certain cases.
For children under 18 years old, the compulsory insurance reimburses the first corrective lenses, regardless of the diopter, and provides a fixed contribution towards the glasses frame. Each child is entitled to a maximum of two contributions for a frame until the age of 18. Renewal of the lenses is possible if the diopter changes by at least 0.5 or every 2 years.
From the age of 18, lenses are only reimbursed if the diopter is equal to or greater than +/- 6, with renewal possible every 5 years or in the event of a change of at least 0.5 diopter.
